Monday, May 30, 2011

EV mods/upgrades

While the rest of the US was out camping/fishing/barbequeing today, I had some nice quiet shop time to do a few small upgrades/mods on my personal van.

Oil cooler upgrade:B5 Passat oil cooler installed on my TDI EV. Impressions: overall engine temp runs ~7* F cooler. This is mostly an experimental mod as I have never had any temperature issues, just need to get a beta test going on a TDI EV as we already have one on a TDI Vanagon. Tight fit, but fits with no mods save the longer oil cooler standpipe.

Fog lights (to be continued....):These fog lights are the factory fogs from an A3 Jetta and I like what I'm seeing in terms of possible fitment in the blank above my hand.

Westy interior light LED upgrade:This is a super cool mod: My mid-cabin interior light in my 93 weekender had a failed ballast, so instead of paying big money for the same antiquated technology, I installed LEDs. Total cost: <$15--basically the cost of one fluorescent bulb. Total amp draw of this set up is 0.25 amps at 12.5v. Fit like a glove in the stock Westy light fixture.

Soldered LED wiring to stock Westy lamp switch, bypassing all the funky circuitry that is necessary for the fluorescent bulb and going straight to 12v, and keeping stock appearance/functionality.

Wiring complete and fixture ready for install.

Fixture installed, now awaiting enclosure to finish it up.

Final product. Bright, efficient, inexpensive, long lasting. Version 2.0 of this mod (ie, my rear cabin light) will get a potentiometer next to the switch as well so it can function as a dimmer.

Fiamma 45 awning installFor the better part of the past year I've had this new Fiamma 45 8' awning sitting under my bench awaiting installation and today in an ever short window of ephemeral sunshine I finally, FINALLY! installed it on my van just in time for the summer.